Bilingual Publishing Co. (BPC): E-Journals
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SAR Change Detection Algorithm Combined with FFDNet Spatial Denoising
No full textObjectives: When detecting changes in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, the quality of the difference map has an important impact on the detection results, and the speckle noise in the image interferes with the extraction of change information. In order to improve the detection accuracy of SAR image change detection and improve the quality of the difference map, this paper proposes a method that combines the popular deep neural network with the clustering algorithm.Methods: Firstly, the SAR image with speckle noise was constructed, and the FFDNet architecture was used to retrain the SAR image, and the network parameters with better effect on speckle noise suppression were obtained. Then the log ratio operator is generated by using the reconstructed image output from the network. Finally, K-means and FCM clustering algorithms are used to analyze the difference images, and the binary map of change detection results is generated. Results: The experimental results have high detection accuracy on Bern and Sulzberger's real data, which proves the effectiveness of the method
Brazilian’s Legal Framework and Water Regulation
No full textThe legal framework of water regulation can assume different characteristics according to each country’s reality. The preservation and conservation of water and ecosystems depend on rules configuration in the Constitution and legal prescriptions. This manuscript presents the Brazilian legal framework and water regulation. The analysis confirms that in the Brazilian system water is regulated as environmental resource and environmental good. From a descriptive methodology, the article explains how the Brazilian legal system works. The article also remarks on the regulation of multiple uses of water, approaching the legal regulation among industrial, agricultural, and human consumption of water. The aim of the paper is to explain normative regulation of water in Brazil, including the court’s activities in cases of discharges of sewage directly into the rivers
Groundwater Quality Assessment in Pul-e-Charkhi Region, Kabul, Afghanistan
No full textWe present the results of studies conducted on the assessment of groundwater quality observed on several water samples taken from water supply sources in the Pul-e-Charkhi region, which is located near the eastern part of Kabul and has seen steady growth in population after the U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on 30 August 2021. The water in the basin serves as the main source of water supply and it consists of water discharge from nearby local industries, automobile repair and wash, Osman House, Gradation Place, International Standards Region, and many other regional sources that create a mix of contaminants in discharge to the basin. We collected several samples from each groundwater source for this investigation and transported them carefully to the research laboratory, maintaining the integrity of the samples. The main objective of this study is to assess groundwater quality for the determination of contaminants in groundwater to see what limitations it may pose for recycling and reuse. Such a study is necessary since the region requires persistent sources of water due to a steady increase in population and an associated shortage of water supply due to arid conditions. Furthermore, there is unavailability of similar data since the region served to support military operations since 2001. The samples were analyzed for temperature, electroconductivity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, salinity, pH, color, turbidity, hardness, chemicals, and heavy metals. The results obtained suggest that the parameters can be used efficiently to design filtration strategies based on region-specific contamination for the specific catchments located in and around the Kabul Basin. An effort to add additional characterization techniques is described to detect micro/nano plastics and new and emerging contaminants. The efforts reported here are consistent with the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development Goals
Origin of the Dashuigou Independent Tellurium Deposit at the Southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Based on the Abundances of Trace Elements in the Country Rocks
No full textThrough a detailed study of the abundances and spatial-temporal distribution patterns of Te, Bi, As, Se, Cu, Pb, Zn, Au, and Ag in the rock types of different geological epochs in the Dashuigou independent tellurium deposit, and in combination with other research findings of previous researchers in this area, the authors conclude as follows: Abundances of the main ore-forming elements Te, Bi, As, Se, Au, and Ag are not high in the regional geological background, generally lower or close to their respective crustal Clark values, but almost all altered country rocks contain high levels of ore-forming elements. This indicates that the deposit’s ore-forming elements do not come from the country rocks. This also indicates that the geological thermal events that cause alteration and mineralization originate from depths and may be related to mantle plumes. Considering the distribution pattern of these ore-forming elements in the ore bodies’ hanging wall and footwall, the metallogenic mechanism may be as follows: Mineralization is not achieved through lateral secretion in the horizontal or near horizontal direction, but rather through the upward movement and emplacement of deep ore-forming elements driven by geological processes such as mantle plumes. In addition, the migration of deep ore-forming elements is not achieved through dispersed infiltration between overlying rock particles, but through non widespread concentrated penetrating channels. This type of channel is likely to be the expansion structures where faults from different directions intersect, or where linear faults intersect with circular structures
How Corporate Social Responsibility Impacts Employee Identification, Psychological Benefit, and Customer Orientation in Hospitality Industry?
No full textThe literature supports the notation that corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays a vital role in engaging consumers and establishing strong relationships with the organizations. However, CSR needs to be comprehensively studied as internal marketing to motivate employees to improve customer services by fulfilling their needs. Accordingly, the current study determines the impact of CSR congruence and efficacy on employee-customer identification, psychological benefit, and customer orientation in the hospitality industry of Pakistan. The data from 276 frontline employees were collected using a purposive sampling technique through self-administered questionnaires and structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. The results found that perceived CSR congruence has a stronger impact on employee-customer identification, while CSR efficacy has a relatively stronger relationship with psychological job benefits and customer orientation. This study provides a significant contribution to the extant literature on using CSR as an internal marketing strategy to improve the frontline employees’ ability to satisfy external stakeholders, i.e., customers
Air Pollution Risk Assessment Using GIS and Remotely Sensed Data in Kirkuk City, Iraq
No full textAccording to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates and based on a world population review, Iraq ranks tenth among the most air-polluted countries in the world. In this study, the authors tried to evaluate the outdoor air of Kirkuk City north of Iraq. The authors relied on two types of data: field measurements and remotely sensed data. Fifteen air quality points were determined in the study region representing the monthly average measurements implemented for the one-year dataset. Geographic information systems (GIS) based geo-statistic and geo-processing techniques have been applied to collected data. Spatial distribution data related to Air Quality Index (AQI), and Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) were obtained by mapping collected records. Remotely sensed data of PM2.5 were analyzed and compared with the collected data. Health impacts were assessed per each air pollutant determined in the study. Spatial distribution maps revealed the hazardous air type in the study area. Overall AQI ranged between 300 and 472 µg/m3 referring to unhealthy, very unhealthy, and hazardous classes of pollution. Also, PM10 ranged between 300 and 570 µg/m3 indicating the same class of air pollution from unhealthy to hazardous. While PM2.5 ranged between 40 and 60 µg/m3 which represents unhealthy air for sensitive persons and unhealthy air. The remotely sensed data revealed different air types for the study period ranging from 14.5 to 52.5 µg/m3 represented in moderate and unhealthy air for sensitive persons. Significant correlations were obtained where the mean local R2 (coefficient of determination) was obtained as 0.83. The assessed data were within high air pollution that requires immediate intervention for controlling causes and eliminating their effects
Greening the Supply Chain: Drivers and Outcomes in the Korean Manufacturing Industry
No full textThis research investigates the determinants of green supply chain management (GSCM) adoption and its impact on organizational performance, while considering the potential moderating factors influencing GSCM adoption. Despite the growing prevalence of GSCM practices among Korean firms, the factors driving their adoption have not received sufficient attention. To bridge this gap, the study uses structural equation modeling, integrating stakeholder theory and resource-based theory to explore how green entrepreneurial orientation (GEO), institutional pressure, and relational capital affect GSCM adoption. Additionally, the study explores the effects of GSCM implementation on competitiveness and economic performance. Drawing data from a sample of 213 Korean manufacturing firms, the PLS-SEM analysis highlights the significant influence of GEO, institutional pressure, and relational capital on GSCM adoption. Additionally, the study emphasizes the positive impact of GSCM implementation on firm competitiveness. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing sustainability in supply chain management and are applicable to similar context countries such as Taiwan, China, Japan, and the Netherlands
Precautionary Principles of Sustainability versus Promotion of the Ease of Doing Business in the Proposed EIA Regulation in India: A Critical Analysis and Application of an Ex-Ante Framework to Review the Regulation
No full textThe tenets of environmental policy evolved in India and how precautionary principles of sustainability are sidelined in the draft EIA regulation 2020 are analyzed. The emphasis on exempting several categories of projects from the EIA requirements and public consultation, standardization of sector-specific terms of reference and environmental clearance conditions, and decentralization of the decision-making to simplify and fast-track the environmental clearance procedure for development projects is apparent. The list of projects/activities requiring prior environmental clearance and the procedures reveal that promoting the ease of doing business scores over precautionary principles. Efforts to increase the effectiveness and improve transparency in monitoring the implementation of environmental clearance conditions are visible. Still, the prime issues of improving the efficiency and efficacy of the EIA framework and institutional reforms in the EIA system need to be earnestly addressed. The evaluation using an ex-ante framework unveils the areas needing meticulous attention to revamp the EIA regulation
Research on Residents' Willingness to Protect Privacy in the Context of the Personal Information Protection Law: A Survey Based on Foshan Residents' Data
No full textThe Personal Information Protection Law, as the frst law on personal information protection in China, hits the people’s most concerned, realistic and direct privacy and information security issues, and plays an extremely important role in promoting the development of the digital economy, the legalization of socialism with Chinese characteristics and social public security, and marks a new historical development stage in the protection of personal information in China. However, the awareness of privacy protection and privacy protection behavior of the public in personal information privacy protection is weak. Based on the literature review and in-depth understanding of current legal regulations, this study integrates the relevant literature and theoretical knowledge of the Personal Protection Law to construct a conceptual model of “privacy information protection willingness—privacy information protection behavior”. Taking the residents of Foshan City as an example, this paper conducts a questionnaire survey on their attitudes toward the Personal Protection Law, analyzes the factors infuencing their willingness to protect their privacy and their behaviors, and explores the mechanisms of their infuencing variables, to provide advice and suggestions for promoting the protection of privacy information and building a security barrier for the high-quality development of public information security
Regional Tourism Resilience under Crisis Impacts: The Cases of Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta
No full textSince the beginning of the 21st century, various crisis events have occurred frequently, inflicting substantial impacts on the tourism sector, which has garnered considerable scholarly and policy attention. Nevertheless, limited research has systematically explored tourism resilience at the urban scale, and there is a paucity of studies comparing regional differences in tourism resilience under distinct crisis scenarios and their underlying causes. Thus, this study focuses on the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, employing Martin’s regional economic resilience measurement method. It assesses the tourism resilience of the two regions under the impact of the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, subsequently visualizing the data results using ArcGIS software. The study also endeavors to unveil potential causes for disparities in urban tourism resilience. The main conclusions are as follows: Firstly, regions with higher economic development exhibit relatively weaker tourism resilience during economic crises, yet demonstrate comparatively stronger resilience during public crises. Secondly, distinct differentiations exist both between and within the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, primarily stemming from variations such as geographical positioning, tourism resource endowments, and industrial and economic structures, both regionally and within individual cities. Thirdly, the determination of regional tourism resilience is intricate and cannot be restricted to a single dimension; multidimensional indicators better encapsulate the essence of regional tourism resilience